"Doc" Watson, R.I.P.

Guitar picking legend Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson has passed away of complications from abdominal surgery following a fall at his home. He was 89.

Blind from infancy, the North Carolina born Watson began playing guitar at the age of 11 but did not attain broad recognition until he was nearly 40 during the folk revival of the early 1960s. In the 1970s, his son Merle joined him. Sadly, Merle was killed in an accident on the family's farm in 1985. In tribute to his on, Watson hosted MerleFest, an annual gathering of "traditional plus" music including but not limited to folk, country, blues, bluegrass and Appalachian music.

(Snip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUzVUNJKiDc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJketJEXzRk

I am reminded of an old Tom T Hall song "The Year That Clayton Delaney Died"

I remember the year that Clayton Delaney diedNobody ever knew it but I went out in the woods and I criedWell, I know there's a lotta big preachers that know a lot more than I doBut it could be that the good Lord likes a little pickin' tooYeah, I remember the year that Clayton Delaney died.